Sen. Raumesh Akbari says the autopsy tells a different story than what the public was told
Raumesh AkbariTennessee Senate minority leader, Democrat of Memphis, in a statement to WMC Action News 5
In a statement to WMC Action News 5 after the autopsy findings, Akbari says the report contradicts what the public was told about the shooting, asks how a man is shot in the back while turning toward the people who shot him, and says the task force's leaders must assess whether the deployment is working.
Responding to
Tyrin Johnson turned on the two Tennessee National Guard members who were chasing him and pointed a handgun at them before they fired.
“This autopsy tells a different story than what the public was told and that demands an explanation.”
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Tennessee Guard report says Tyrin Johnson pointed a gun before troops shot him; the autopsy found the bullet entered his back
Two Tennessee National Guard members on Memphis Safe Task Force patrol shot and killed Tyrin Johnson, 20, on July 5, 2026, after he ran from police with a handgun. A Guard report says he pointed a gun at them, while the autopsy found a single bullet entered his back. Videos released by the district attorney in November do not show the shooting, and the TBI investigation continues.
Source and context
Reporting
About this source
WMC Action News 5 reports the medical examiner's findings, the earlier police account of the shooting, comments from the family's lawyer, and statements from state Sens. London Lamar and Raumesh Akbari.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
WMC Action News 5 reports that the medical examiner found Johnson was shot in the back, while investigators had said he turned to face Memphis police officers and Guard members when he was shot.
After the quotation
Akbari says she is not rushing to conclusions, notes that one of the Guard members who fired was 19 years old, and says the leaders overseeing the task force must honestly assess whether the deployment is achieving its mission.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
The reference point is the July 5, 2026 fatal shooting of Tyrin Johnson by two Tennessee National Guard members and the official account that he pointed a gun at them. Akbari says the autopsy contradicts the account the public was given and demands an explanation, a challenge to the official description of the shooting.
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More from this case
Read the full caseAfter the video release, Andre Wharton says Johnson was running away when he was shot
“What is absent is that he was running away, and that is critical to this investigation”Read statement
Sen. London Lamar says Guard members sent to reduce homicides have contributed to the homicide rate
“This is disheartening to hear considering their purpose in being in Memphis is to reduce homicide and now National Guardsmen have contributed to the homicide rate. I hope those responsible are held accountable according to the law.”Read statement
Johnson family lawyer Andre Wharton says law enforcement's account is inconsistent with the autopsy
“I just see some kind of blatant inconsistency there, in terms of what law enforcement reports”Read statement
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- Sen. Raumesh Akbari says the autopsy tells a different story than what the public was told
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The Dispute Index. "Sen. Raumesh Akbari says the autopsy tells a different story than what the public was told". First published: 2026-11-08. Last updated: 2026-11-08. https://disputeindex.com/events/8422-in-a-statement-to-wmc-action-news-5